The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link will be ready for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the project leader said on Tuesday.
”It’s a brave man who says it straight like that but the answer is yes, we will commission the whole system in time for the World Cup,” said Jack van der Merwe, chief executive of the Gautrain project.
This will happen regardless of which of the final two bidding consortiums — Bombela or Gauliwe — was successful.
”Both bidders have indicated they will finish in 54 months,” Van der Merwe told reporters in Johannesburg.
Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa will announce the successful bidder at the end of April.
The final cost of the project will then then be determined. ”It may be higher than what we have currently budgeted for,” Gauteng finance MEC Paul Mashatile warned.
An initial amount of R7,9-billion was earmarked for the rail network. Actual construction would start around October or November this year and be completed by February or March 2010.
Mashatile said the Gautrain would have a very positive impact on the economy.
Gauteng’s economy was growing gradually, reaching 5,6% per annum in 2004, but the province was aiming for eight percent growth per annum in the next 10 years.
”Against this background we need to substantially improve infrastructure to grow the economy and decrease the cost of doing business in Gauteng.
”The economy will grind to a halt if we don’t fast-track projects like Gautrain,” Mashatile said.
Increased traffic volumes and traffic congestion were a growing problem in the province.
”The Ben Schoeman highway, for example, carries 150 000 cars a day.”
Traffic between Johannesburg and Tshwane was increasing by over seven percent a year, and traffic flow in Gauteng was expected to double in the next 10 years.
Six million passenger trips were made a day in Gauteng, of which 80% are road-based.
The Gautrain could ease some of this congestion by carrying 80 000 passengers an hour at full capacity.
The project would not be the only answer to Gauteng’s traffic congestion, but would work together with an improved road system and a recapitalised Metro Rail.
”We have an integrated approach, with Gautrain one part of it, but an integral part,” said Van der Merwe.
Mashatile said he did not expect a court case in June to derail the Gautrain plans.
The Muckleneuk Lukasrand Property Owners and Residents Association are taking Gautrain to court to demand tunnelling beneath the suburb instead of surface lines. The case was expected to be heard in June.
”We are hoping to win because we have taken a lot of concerns into consideration. And at the end of the day the government has the power to expropriate legally,” said Mashatile.
”We won’t wait for the court case to be finalised before we commission the project. It is only a small part of it.”
The Bombalia Consortium and Gauliwe Consortium both include international and local railway construction and engineering companies and black economic empowerment partners.
Their tenders would be judged on their technical content, financial proposal, legal issues and socio-economic development, Van der Merwe said.
Expropriation would begin once the bidder was announced and would be completed by November. ”Everyone affected will have someone come to them and personally explain what will happen,” Van der Merwe said.
Professional, private valuers would determine the value of the land to be expropriated, he said.
”Two valuers might be appointed for each property to ensure the trustworthiness of the value placed on each property.”
The project will involve 80km of railway lines, 10 stations, around 28km of tunnels and eight kilometres of bridges.
Gautrain will link Pretoria and Johannesburg with the Johannesburg International Airport through Sandton. – Sapa